NA opposition leader Achakzai warns of disruption of parliament over Imran rally curb
JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman. Photo: File
ISLAMABAD:
JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman said on Monday that two provinces – Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Balochistan – had become hubs of insecurity and terrorism.
“Keep celebrating the Marka-e-Haq victory while the people are dying?” he asked while addressing the National Assembly. Marka-e-Haq refers to the four-day confrontation between India and Pakistan that erupted on May 6 following Indian attacks on some places in Pakistan.
Fazl said he was speaking “in an atmosphere of blood” and lamented that repeated discussions on national issues were not broadcast to the public.
“We stand with the constitution and are being punished for it,” he said, recalling that dozens of funerals had been held in Bajaur after a single incident.
He criticized protracted security operations, saying they had failed to deliver results, likening them to a worsening disease despite treatment. He also questioned the economic policies and asked why oil prices were highest in Pakistan despite global trends.
NA opposition leader Mahmood Khan Achakzai followed with a hard-hitting speech giving the government a one-week ultimatum to secure medical treatment and meetings for jailed PTI founder Imran Khan.
He claimed that the February 8, 2024 election had been rigged and claimed that a party that secured a public mandate had been reduced to a minority.
“Does any parliament arise through buying and selling?” he asked, adding that the opposition had tried to rule the house despite considering it illegitimate. Achakzai said if restrictions on meetings with Imran Khan continued, the opposition would not allow parliament to function.
Maulana Fazlur Rehman and Mahmood Khan Achakzai later met in the opposition lobby of Parliament House to discuss the overall political situation, parliamentary affairs and coordination between opposition parties.
The meeting came as opposition groups signal plans for protests against rising inflation and fuel prices.
Earlier, the National Assembly unanimously passed a resolution lauding the armed forces for their response to Indian actions last May.
Moved by the Minister of Law, the resolution praised the professionalism and preparedness demonstrated during the conflict and reaffirmed national unity in the defense of the country’s sovereignty.
In a parallel development, the Senate session chaired by Yousaf Raza Gilani witnessed a heated debate on inflation, oil prices and tax policies.
PTI Senator Ali Zafar said rising fuel cost was the result of government policies and excessive taxation, noting that more than Rs117 per liter was levied in taxes on petrol. He claimed that despite falling global prices, relief was not being passed on to consumers.
